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Garden great for raspberries but would like to add more berry fruit. Advice would be great

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  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 7,093
    Yes, gooseberries are a round bush. Blackcurrants are a slightly taller bush. And redcurrants are taller and wider but again, a bush. There are blackcurrants and gooseberries that are sweet enough to eat directly off the plant, but most are cooking fruit - for making crumbles and tarts because they need a bit of sugar.

    Blueberries in a pot - go for a dwarf like 'Blue Sapphire' (such as on this site but there are others https://www.kenmuir.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&path=80_103_106&product_id=885 )
    and you need a pot at least a foot deep and wide - minimum 20 litre capacity and a bit bigger if possible. You need ericaceous compost for blueberries and to only water with rainwater, not mains tap water. 

    If you have a bimble around the Ken Muir site you'll see lots of blackberries and hybrids to think about 
    Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • AtacamaAtacama Posts: 87
    Yes, gooseberries are a round bush. Blackcurrants are a slightly taller bush. And redcurrants are taller and wider but again, a bush. There are blackcurrants and gooseberries that are sweet enough to eat directly off the plant, but most are cooking fruit - for making crumbles and tarts because they need a bit of sugar.

    Blueberries in a pot - go for a dwarf like 'Blue Sapphire' (such as on this site but there are others https://www.kenmuir.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&path=80_103_106&product_id=885 )
    and you need a pot at least a foot deep and wide - minimum 20 litre capacity and a bit bigger if possible. You need ericaceous compost for blueberries and to only water with rainwater, not mains tap water. 

    If you have a bimble around the Ken Muir site you'll see lots of blackberries and hybrids to think about 
    Blimey a whole new world of data and directions .... is really interesting stuff. Ok so not so large pots in reality ... that is definitely an option for us. Thanks for the link, is a new one on me but keen to go for the best, first time....lazy gardening I know but hoping to make this as speedier implementation as possible once I have all the knowledge harvested.

    So rain water only for the Blueberries, curious why that is? I bought an IBC tank to harvest rain water from the roof and located on the roof but never completed it. Now might be the time to do so.


  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I had a lot of recommendations for Trehane Nurseries for blueberries.
    I got Patriot (early), Herbert (mid-season) and Ozark Blue (late)
    Very fine plants and producing well already.
    Tap water is generally hard (i.e. contains calcium and carbonates) which blueberries don't like. Hence rainwater which don't contain any of these.

    For other soft fruits, I'd suggest Blackmoor Nurseries
    For fruit trees Orange Pippin Trees
    Good luck!

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • AtacamaAtacama Posts: 87
    Pete8 said:
    I had a lot of recommendations for Trehane Nurseries for blueberries.
    I got Patriot (early), Herbert (mid-season) and Ozark Blue (late)
    Very fine plants and producing well already.
    Tap water is generally hard (i.e. contains calcium and carbonates) which blueberries don't like. Hence rainwater which don't contain any of these.

    For other soft fruits, I'd suggest Blackmoor Nurseries
    For fruit trees Orange Pippin Trees
    Good luck!
    I find it quite astonishing how much you can learn in what is it? .... just over 12 hours since I asked the question? So much useful knowledge in such a short space of time. Is a great example of the shared communities at work.

    Going to try all those options you mention Pete ... really useful stuff. And thanks for the explanation on the water sources
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